Mont. Democrat Uses Bush's Praise

BOB ANEZ

Published 7:00 pm, Monday, September 30, 2002

Associated Press Writer

HELENA, Mont. (AP) _ President Bush applauds the senator's leadership, credits him with helping pass the administration's tax cut, says he's one of those leaders "who put their country ahead of their parties."

Such ringing praise from a popular president could be the stuff of campaign ads, and in Montana it is _ for Sen. Max Baucus, a Democrat seeking re-election to a fifth term in a state with a decidedly Republican tilt.

The strategy of emphasizing ties to Republican Bush and playing down his role as Democratic Party standardbearer in Montana is simply common sense for Baucus, analysts say.

But for Mike Taylor, his GOP opponent, the Democrat's tactic is misleading, not to mention frustrating in light of the nearly $6 million Baucus campaign.

"He's trying to convince people he's Republican," says Taylor, a state senator. "When he's got the amount of money he has, he can convince people of anything."

Baucus says he's not trying to camouflage his Democratic bloodlines.

"I don't focus on the labels," he says.

With Bush's approval ratings high _ well over 60 percent nationally, over 80 percent in Montana _ Baucus is hardly the only Democrat trying to use the Republican president to win votes in November. In just two other examples, during summer campaigning:

_ In South Carolina, Democratic Gov. Jim Hodges ran an ad featuring a teacher who said she was a Republican who voted for Bush in 2000. She said she couldn't vote for Hodges' Republican rival, former Rep. Mark Sanford, because of his votes in Congress _ votes he said the ad took out of context.

In Montana, the Baucus campaign portrays him as a political everyman.

One ad says of the senator, who holds an influential position as chairman of the Finance Committee: "He's the chairman who reached across party lines to pass one of the most important tax cuts in history, working with President Bush." The spot features Bush praising the "bipartisan leadership of members like Max Baucus of Montana."

Says Craig Wilson, who heads the political science department at Montana State University-Billings: "In the back of their minds is the reality that this state is more Republican than it was 10 years ago."

Six years ago, Baucus got a scare when he won a fourth term by less than five points _ 19,824 votes _ over then-Lt. Gov. Denny Rehberg, who went on to become Montana's lone U.S. House member. Recent polling suggests Baucus has a more comfortable lead this time.

"He's running more from the center, talking about his support for the president," Wilson said. "Republicans have trouble painting him as an enemy in Congress."

Jim Lopach, political science professor at the University of Montana in Missoula, said, "The political geography has changed underneath Baucus since he last ran and his election tactics have to change accordingly."

Bush won Montana by 25 points two years ago, and polls have shown that in general Montanans favor Republicans over Democrats in legislative races. The GOP has controlled both the Legislature and governor's office since 1995 _ the longest such domination by either party in Montana history.

Republicans say they understand the Baucus strategy.

"His game plan is to convince voters that he is of the same political persuasion as Bush," said Ken Miller, state GOP chairman. "He has to do what he's doing. He has to act conservative, but we only see him get conservative once every six years when it's election time."

"He's been able to pull the wool over people's eyes for years," said candidate Taylor. "You can fool people some of the time, but you can't fool them all of the time."

Says Baucus, "I'm proud to have worked with the president when I think he's right."